Hartford Firefighter Jason Martinez Released From Hospital

Firefighter Jason Martinez

Courtesy Of Hartford Police Department

Jason Martinez, 29, of Manchester, suffered burns over 10 percent of his body and was transferred by helicopter to the burn unit at Bridgeport Hospital, where he remained in critical but stable condition Wednesday.

Jason Martinez, 29, of Manchester, suffered burns over 10 percent of his body and was transferred by helicopter to the burn unit at Bridgeport Hospital, where he remained in critical but stable condition Wednesday. (Courtesy Of Hartford Police Department)

HARTFORD — Firefighter Jason Martinez, who was badly injured fighting a fire at 598 Blue Hills Ave. on Oct. 7 — the same fire that claimed the life of Firefighter Kevin Bell — has been released from Bridgeport Hospital, where he's been undergoing treatment in the burn unit since the fire.

Capt. Helene Lynch said Thursday that Martinez, 29, is progressing in his recovery and was well enough to leave the hospital. He continues to undergo rehabilitation and firefighters are looking forward to his return to work.

Martinez and his family, as well as fellow firefighters, Lynch said, have drawn great strength from the outpouring of support for the department since the fatal fire. Martinez has received messages of encouragement from all over the world, she said.

Martinez, a member of Tactical Unit 1, had to bail out of a second-story window during the fire. What caused Martinez to have to escape the fire that way is not yet known, although fire radio transmissions from the night of the fire indicate conditions inside the home got bad very quickly. Martinez, of Manchester, suffered burns over 10 percent of his body.

HARTFORD — Investigators working to determine how Hartford firefighter Kevin Bell died in a house fire last month have turned some of their attention to his breathing apparatus, examining whether it was working properly and whether his air tank was full when he entered the burning building, sources...

(DAVE ALTIMARI, STEVEN GOODE and DAVID OWENS)

Two other firefighters were injured in the fire.

Firefighter Colin McWeeny, 34, of Engine 14 at 25 Blue Hills Ave., is still recovering from burns he suffered and has not returned to work. Firefighter Kevin Burke, 51, has returned to work at Engine 5 at 129 Sigourney St.